Department for Transport

Railways: Leeds

lord bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the percentage of train cancellations between Leeds and London in both directions in 2019.

lord bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the percentage of weekday journeys for which Hitachi provided the required number of units to operate the scheduled train service between Lincoln and London since they were introduced on 21 October 2019, compared to the total number of scheduled journeys.

lord bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the percentage of weekday journeys completed by LNER with the required number of Hitachi coaches to operate services compared to the total number of scheduled weekday journeys.

baroness vere of norbiton: The Department does not hold the data requested. The noble Lord may wish to request this information from LNER, who can be contacted at East Coast House, 25 Skeldergate, York, YO1 6DH.

TransPennine Express: Standards

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that Transpennine Express have cancelled up to 40 per cent of trains on some routes; what are the reasons for those reported cancellations; how long they estimate any cancellations to last; what discussions they have had with Transpennine Express about the cancellations; and what was the outcome of any such discussions.

baroness vere of norbiton: The December timetable was designed to be transformative for customers travelling on its three new fleets of trains. The full December timetable included a new direct route from Liverpool to Glasgow, the extension of the service from Newcastle to Edinburgh and a new service from Middlesbrough to Redcar. Due to the late delivery and technical issues with its new trains which impacted on driver training and availability of crews, customers of TransPennine Express (TPE) experienced an unacceptable increase in disruption. To provide a more stable service, TPE has introduced temporary timetable changes between Liverpool Lime Street and Edinburgh until the end of January to allow it to recover. The Rail North Partnership representing the DfT and Transport for the North continues to challenge TPE robustly and hold the operator to account on its contractual obligations. Only last week, my Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State for Transport called in executives from TPE and other industry bodies to reinforce this point. If appropriate, we will take action under the terms set out in the Franchise Agreement.

South Western Railway: Strikes

lord patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Vere of Norbiton on 7 January (HL62), what assessment they have made of the impact of the South Western Railway strikes that began on 2 December 2019 on (1) schools, and (2) hospitals, in areas served by that franchise.

baroness vere of norbiton: The Government is concerned with the impacts these strikes are having on business and the travelling public including those travelling to work, hospitals or places of education whether as workers, patients and students or as teachers or health workers. The Government will be undertaking detailed assessments in the process of preparing Minimum Service Level legislation.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Wind Power: Dorset

baroness bennett of manor castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the viability of the Navitus Bay wind farm site.

baroness bennett of manor castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that the Navitus Bay wind farm site is successfully developed.

lord duncan of springbank: It is for developers to come forward with proposals for potential locations of generating stations including offshore windfarms. The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change assessed an application for development consent for a wind farm on the Navitus Bay wind farm site in 2015. The Secretary of State issued a decision on 11 September 2015 refusing the grant of development consent for the proposed Navitus Bay offshore wind farm. The decision was in line with the recommendation of the Planning Inspectorate, which examined a wide range of issues related to the potential benefits and impacts of the project in reaching its conclusion. The Secretary of State’s decision letter sets out her consideration of those issues.

Manufacturing Industries: North East

baroness armstrong of hill top: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to support manufacturing in the North East of England.

lord duncan of springbank: The Government recognises the importance of manufacturing to the North East and to the economy. Through the North East Local Enterprise Partnership Growth Deal, we are supporting job growth and economic development with £379.6 million of funding from the Local Growth Fund. This includes £42 million of funding for the International Advanced Manufacturing Park (IAMP) in Sunderland. Sunderland Council estimates that the IAMP will attract £300 million of private sector investment to help grow local manufacturing sectors. We are also giving over £600 million to support the High Value Manufacturing Catapult network; their Centre for Process Innovation at Wilton focuses on the commercialisation of innovation, research and development, helping North East manufacturers to develop and adopt cutting edge technology.

Climate Change Convention

baroness jones of whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government what cross-departmental structures have been put in place to ensure they deliver on their global climate change commitments at the COP26 Summit in 2020.

lord duncan of springbank: The Government has set up a COP26 Unit within Cabinet Office. This unit leads on the delivery of the COP26 Summit and it will coordinate across Government departments and devolved administrations to ensure COP26 objectives are met.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Democratic Republic of Congo: Ethnic Groups

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights DRC: inter-ethnic violence in Ituri,published on 10 January; and what steps they are taking to avert any such violence.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK remains concerned by the human rights situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The report by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR) highlights a worrying trend in intercommunal violence in Ituri province. British Embassy Officials regularly raise human rights and rule of law with the DRC Government, and have urged it to investigate and hold to account those accused of committing acts of violence, including members of the security forces. The Foreign Secretary raised the importance of tackling insecurity with President Tshisekedi on 20 January.The UK works to improve the human rights situation in DRC, including by helping to educate human rights defenders and by promoting conflict resolution. The UK helps fund the United Nations Joint Human Rights Office, which tracks human rights abuses and violations in DRC, as well as TRIAL International which works to bring perpetrators to justice. In Ituri specifically, our work with the Stabilisation Support Unit of UN peacekeeping mission MONUSCO promotes intercommunal reconciliation.

Burma: Ports

baroness goudie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had, if any, with Portia Management Services aboutitsmanagement of TMT Port in Yangon, which is owned by the Burmese military controlledMyanmar Economic Holdings Ltd.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: As the recent UN Fact Finding Mission report sets out, the Myanmar Military and companies linked to it are entrenched across the economy. Some of the relationships are opaque, and being clear about the precise details of ownership of a company or infrastructure is sometimes very difficult.Following the publication of the UN Fact Finding Mission report, the British Embassy has met regularly with British companies, including Portia Management Services, and stressed the importance of undertaking robust due diligence.We offer advice and support on working with responsible local partners and encourage all British companies to undertake their own due diligence on any investment projects.

Bahrain: Capital Punishment

baroness northover: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the fairness of the trial of Mohammed Ramadhan and Hussain Moosa in Bahrain, following the statement by the Minister for the Middle East and North Africa that he is “deeply concerned” by the reimposition of death sentences against them.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are deeply concerned that the death penalty has been issued. The Government of Bahrain are fully aware that the UK is firmly opposed to the death penalty, in all circumstances. The UK has and will continue to monitor the cases closely and raise concerns with senior members of the Bahraini Government when we have them.

Jerusalem: Palestinians

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports by the Association for Civil Rights in Israel that large amounts of Palestinian children have been arrested since the launch of regular Israeli police raids in Isawiyeh, East Jerusalem, and that Israeli police are violating the rights of minor suspects in that area.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The UK has strong concerns about continued reports of ill-treatment of Palestinian minors in Israeli military detention. We remain committed to working with Israel to secure improvements to the practices surrounding children in detention in the country. We welcomed progress made with recent Israeli policy amendments. This includes a reduction in the number of detainees aged 12 to 14 years old, the increase in the age of maturity from 16 to 18 years old, the establishment of separate juvenile courts and the enactment of a special statute of limitations for minors. Initial detention periods have also been shortened. However, we continue to make representations to the Israeli authorities on the treatment of Palestinian children in detention. Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv did so most recently on 17 December. We continue to monitor the situation in Isawiyeh closely.

Israel: Palestinians

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that Israeli forces shot live rounds at Palestinian children in Al-Jalazun refugee camp, injuring two, on 17 November 2019.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​We are aware of reports that two Palestinian children were shot by Israeli forces' live fire during clashes that broke out in al-Jalazun refugee camp on 17 November 2019. The UK is very concerned at the high numbers of Palestinians killed by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in the West Bank and Gaza. We have expressed our concerns about the use of live ammunition and excessive force by the IDF with the Israeli authorities, encouraging them to carry out transparent investigations into whether the use of live fire had been appropriate. We will continue to raise our concerns at all levels.

Israel: Palestinians

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made the government of Israel about Palestinian tax revenues being withheld.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​We have repeatedly raised with the Government of Israel our concerns about Israel's decision to withhold tax revenues to the Palestinian Authority (PA). Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv did so most recently on 17 December 2019. We expect economic and fiscal agreements between Israel and the PA to continue to be fully implemented.

Pakistan: Religious Freedom

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) reports that Jagjit Kaye was kidnapped and forced to convert from Sikhism to Islam, and (2) the Pakistan Centre for Social Justice's findings that there have been 160 cases of forced conversion since 2013 in Pakistan; and what representations they intend to make to the government of Pakistan about such conversions.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are concerned about ongoing reports of forced marriage and forced conversion of Hindu and Christian women and girls. We are aware of the reported forced conversion and forced marriage of Jagjit Kaur in August 2019. The Government strongly condemns the forced marriage and forced conversion of women and girls from religious minorities in Pakistan. We regularly raise our concerns about the protection of minority communities, including religious minorities, with the Pakistani Government at a senior level.The Foreign Secretary discussed the treatment of minority religious communities with Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Qureshi during his visit to the UK in June 2019. I raised our concerns about Freedom of Religion or Belief and the protection of minority religious communities with Pakistan’s Human Rights Minister in November 2019.

India: Nationality

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of India's Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019 on the (1) persecution, and (2) displacement, of the six minority religious groups that were not given the eligibility to apply for citizenship in India under that Act.

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of India about the (1) impact of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019 on religious minorities in India, (2) amendment or repeal of that Act, and (3) obligations under Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to protect freedom of religion or belief.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The British High Commission in New Delhi and our network of Deputy High Commissions across India are following reports on the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens, as well as the Government of India’s response. We raise our concerns with the Government of India where appropriate. I discussed the Government of India’s intent with the CAA, and public response to the legislation, with India’s Minister of State for External Affairs on 19 December 2019. The British High Commissioner in New Delhi also raised this issue with the Indian Government on 6 January.India has a proud history of inclusive government and religious tolerance. Post-election, Prime Minister Modi promised to continue this under the guiding principles of “together with all, development for all, trust of all”. We trust the Government of India will provide reassurances to its citizens who are expressing concern about the impact this legislation may have. We will continue to monitor the situation.

Uzbekistan: Official Visits

viscount waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to invite the President of Uzbekistan to visit the UK; and if so, what (1) dates, and (2) topics for discussion, are being considered.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The United Kingdom-Uzbekistan relationship has improved considerably since President Mirziyoyev came to power in 2016. We are actively engaged in supporting his ambitious reform programme and are alive to the opportunities which this presents. There is not currently a date for President Mirziyoyev to visit the United Kingdom, but the signing of a bilateral Partnership and Cooperation Agreement in October last year provides the foundation for future cooperation in foreign, political and security matters.

Russia: COE Parliamentary Assembly

viscount waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they support the position of the UK's delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europein regard to the suspension of the Russian delegation.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The decision to adopt rules changes that saw the return of the Russian delegation to the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) in June 2019 was a matter for the Assembly. Russia's membership of the Council of Europe provides access, valued by Russian citizens and human rights Non Governmental Organisations, to the European Court of Human Rights and is one of the few ways available to the international community to hold Russia to account for its human rights violations.The British Government did not support Russia's unconditional return to PACE. We consistently called on Russia to fulfil all its obligations as a member state, and to adhere to Council of Europe standards on human rights, democracy and rule of law. We will continue our efforts in the Council of Europe to ensure Russia is answerable for its actions. We will also continue to make clear that we do not and will never recognise Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea.

Iran: Nuclear Fuels

lord blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the benefits of triggering the dispute settlement mechanism under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, following the government of Iran’s statement that it will no longer abide by any of the restrictions imposed by that nuclear deal.

lord blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they plan to take to ensure that the timelines for negotiations with the government of Iran under the dispute settlement mechanism of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action are not extended.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are committed to bringing Iran back into full compliance with its Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) commitments and preserving the nuclear deal. Iran's reduced compliance has non-proliferation consequences. The Dispute Resolution Mechanism (DRM) is a process to address this serious issue and we are committed to using it in good faith to find a viable resolution to Iran's compliance issues. The UK remains determined to work with Iran on a diplomatic way forward. As the joint statement from the Prime Minister, President Macron and Chancellor Merkel said on 14 January we need to define a long-term framework for Iran's nuclear programme. We need a deal which everyone respects the terms of, and which takes the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran off the table.Parties to the deal control this process – it is designed to be flexible and extendable in order to find a solution to the problem. Our objective in triggering the DRM is to preserve the nuclear deal and bring Iran back into compliance.

Iran: Nuclear Fuels

lord blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the President of the United States about his government’s assessment in 2018 that Iran was in breach of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action; what assessment they have made of the impact of the decision by the UK not to reach the same assessment at that time; and what discussions they have had with the government of the US since the government of Iran’s declaration that it will no longer abide by any restrictions imposed by that nuclear deal.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK worked very closely with France, Germany and US counterparts to address President Trump's concerns that Iran was in breach of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA), involving months of intense discussions. We have been consistently clear that the JCPoA remains the best way of preventing nuclear proliferation and we hope it will remain. We want to see Iran come back to full compliance, and remain in close contact with our European partners and the US on this issue.The UK is in close contact with the US at a number of levels: the Prime Minister spoke to President Trump on 8 and 12 January and the Foreign Secretary met with Secretary of State Pompeo in Washington on 9 January. As the Prime Minister has said before, including in New York in September 2019, if in the future we could agree a better deal with Iran that has the support of the US, then that is something we would work towards.

Syria: Sanctions

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to seek evidence on whether the existing sanctions on Syria impede the reconstruction of essential civilian infrastructure and services.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​We keep our Syria sanctions under regular review and actively seek to minimise their impact on ordinary Syrians, engaging regularly with non-governmental organisations to understand the practical impact of the sanctions on the population. Exemptions and licences already apply to the sanctions regime in order to minimise any detrimental effects on ordinary Syrians. The sanctions are aimed at ending the violent repression of the civilian population in Syria by the Assad regime and pressing the regime to engage seriously with the political process.

Department of Health and Social Care

NHS: Negligence

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the criteria by which the NHS assesses the merits of clinical negligence claims prior to litigation.

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the percentage of litigated clinical negligence claims involving the NHS which result in damages being paid to the claimant.

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the performance of NHS Resolution in its case assessment and its possible use of speculative denials.

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the practice of NHS Resolution of paying fees for legal services regardless of outcome.

baroness blackwood of north oxford: NHS Resolution manages clinical negligence and other claims against the National Health Service in England, and shares learning from claims to help improve safety for patients and staff. NHS Resolution has a responsibility to settle justified claims fairly and promptly and defend unjustified claims to secure NHS resources. Each case must be considered on its own merits and it is important that a proper investigation is undertaken. NHS Resolution aims to get to the right answer as quickly as possible in every case and to help resolve claims sooner, and without the need for court proceedings. To support this NHS Resolution launched a new mediation service in December 2016.NHS Resolution strategy specifically references its aim to prevent claims entering litigation unnecessarily. In certain circumstances litigation is unavoidable, for example where a child is involved and the court is required to approve a damages award or if the statutory limitation period has expired for the commencement of legal proceedings. NHS Resolution challenges important issues of principle in the courts, including the appeals courts where necessary. Decisions to go to trial are not taken lightly but sometimes it is necessary so that public funds are not spent on compensating cases which do not have merit. In 2018/19, of 106 cases taken to trial with court judgements handed down, NHS Resolution successfully defended 69%. Testing claims at trial often has wider implications for other similar cases, potentially deterring further claims without merit. In 2018/19 over 70% of claims were settled without formal court proceedings being taken. It is not possible to estimate conclusively how many litigated clinical negligence claims will result in damages being paid.NHS Resolution is an arm’s length body of the Department and is accountable to the Department. Its performance is subject to regular review through the Department’s sponsorship arrangements. The Department’s assessment is that NHS Resolution is a well-run and efficient organisation and that it has had some success, within the current legal framework, in containing the cost of NHS litigation. The National Audit Office, in its report Managing the costs of clinical negligence in trusts published in September 2017, corroborated with this assessment. A copy of the report is attached.NHS Resolution regularly agrees large-scale contracts for legal services, using its position as a bulk purchaser to obtain the best expertise at value for money for the health service. The contracts include a combination of fixed and capped fees as well as competitive hourly rates for its panel firms, which are also required to support NHS Resolution’s work to learn from claims to improve safety.



Managing the costs of clinical negligence 
(PDF Document, 900.14 KB)

Pregabalin

lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the experienceof patients who have been prescribed Pregabalin, in particular the (1) side effects and withdrawal symptoms,and (2) pricing, of that medication.

baroness blackwood of north oxford: As with all medicines, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, with input from the Government’s independent expert advisory body the Commission on Human Medicines, keep the safety of pregabalin under continual review and ensure the product information contains up to date information, issuing updated advice as appropriate. Details about the possible side effects are provided in the product information for all medicines containing pregabalin.Prices of pregabalin decreased significantly when it came off patent in July 2017 leading to significant savings for the National Health Service. NHS expenditure in primary care in England on pregabalin went down from £315 million in 2016 to £216 million in 2017 and £38 million in 2018. In 2018, the Supreme Court ruled that all patent protection on pregabalin should have expired in July 2014. This means that the NHS could have benefited earlier from cheaper prices of generic competitors and in this respect, the Department is currently considering its position.

NHS: Negligence

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many clinical negligence claims involving the NHS were litigated because of issues in dispute involving breach of duty or causation in the last year for which figures are available.

baroness blackwood of north oxford: NHS Resolution handles clinical negligence claims on behalf of National Health Service organisations and independent sector providers of NHS care in England.NHS Resolution is unable to provide the data requested as they do not capture the specific reason for litigation broken down into the categories referred to.In view of the nature of litigation, disputes can arise concerning breach of duty, causation and quantum, or a mixture of all of them. The NHS Resolution five-year strategy, published in 2017, references its aim to prevent claims entering litigation unnecessarily. In certain circumstances litigation is unavoidable, for example where a child is involved and the court is required to approve a damages award or if the statutory limitation period has expired for the commencement of legal proceedings.

Department for Education

Schools: Standards

lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of schools in England identified by Ofstedas "stuck", having underperformed for the last 13 years.

lord agnew of oulton: We are committed to tackling entrenched underperformance in schools wherever it exists.In addition to the biggest funding boost for schools in a decade: an additional £2.6 billion in 2020-21, £4.8 billion by 2021-22 and £7.1 billion by 2022-23 compared to 2019-20 funding; and £1.5 billion per year to fund additional pension costs for teachers, the department announced last September that we will provide more support to “stuck” schools from high-performing, experienced school leaders. This is now in place. The department also confirmed that we would work with Ofsted so that it can provide more detailed analysis on areas for improvement for these schools and will be confirming details in due course. This announcement can be found at the following link and is attached: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-drive-to-continue-boosting-standards-in-schools. On 10 January, the department also launched a public consultation on removing the exemption from routine inspection for schools previously rated outstanding by Ofsted. The aim is to lift the exemption from September 2020, subject to the consultation outcome and parliamentary approval. Ending the exemption will mean all parents have up to date information about every school and can be confident that their children’s schools are continuing to deliver the best education. The department will provide additional funding for these inspections for 2020-21, and funding for subsequent years will be determined through the forthcoming Spending Review.   



HL231_announcement 
(PDF Document, 351.65 KB)

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Buildings: Insulation

lord bourne of aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many buildings in London with Aluminium Composite Material cladding do not comply with building regulation requirements; and what was the figure for each of the previous six months.

viscount younger of leckie: Information on the number of buildings with Aluminium Composite Material cladding systems unlikely to meet building regulations that are yet to be remediated is available by local authority in Table 2 (attached) of the monthly Building Safety Programme data release. The latest information is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/851774/Table_2_Building_Safety_Data_Release_November_2019.csv/preview



Table 2
(Excel SpreadSheet, 11.65 KB)

Ministry of Defence

Defence: Expenditure

lord jopling: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the levels of defence spending as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (1) currently spent by members of NATO, and (2) spent by each member of NATO at the time of the 2014 Wales NATO summit.

baroness goldie: Please see the table below for levels of defence spending by % of GDP currently spent by members of NATO, and spent by each member of NATO at the time of the 2014 Wales NATO summit. This information is according to the NATO press release (COMMUNIQUE PR/CP(2019)123) ‘Defence Expenditure of NATO Countries (2013-2019)’ published on 29 November 2019. https://www.nato.int/nato_static_fl2014/assets/pdf/pdf_2019_11/20191129_pr-2019-123-en.pdf Defence expenditures as per cent of GDP - Based on 2015 prices and exchange rates NationDefence expenditure as a % of GDP 2014 Defence expenditure as a % of GDP 2019e (current) Albania1.351.26Belgium0.980.93Bulgaria*1.323.25Canada1.011.31Croatia1.841.68Czech Republic0.951.19Denmark1.151.32Estonia1.932.14France1.821.84Germany1.181.38Greece2.212.28Hungary0.861.21Italy1.141.22Latvia0.942.01Lithuania0.882.03Luxembourg0.380.56Montenegro1.501.66Netherlands1.151.36Norway1.551.80Poland1.852.00Portugal1.311.52Romania1.352.04Slovak Republic0.991.74Slovenia0.971.04Spain0.920.92Turkey1.451.89United Kingdom2.162.14United States3.733.42 * Defence Expenditure does not include pensions.e - Figures for 2019 are estimates According to NATO’s latest spending figures, the UK’s Defence spending has increased year-on-year since 2017. When looking at Defence spending, it is not appropriate to compare ‘like for like’ because the nature of Defence spending changes over time. Defence spending is about assessing the threats we face and ensuring that we have the capabilities necessary to deal with them.

Department for Work and Pensions

Universal Credit: Deductions

baroness thomas of winchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, underUniversal Credit to stop the automatic deduction of a claimant’s debts from the standard rate of Universal Credit if creditors have agreed a reduction in the rate of repayment.

baroness stedman-scott: The Department’s deductions policy strikes a fair balance between a claimant’s need to meet their obligations and their ability to ensure they can meet their day-to-day needs. From October 2019, Universal Credit deductions have been reduced to 30% of a claimant’s standard allowance down from 40% to better achieve these objectives. Creditors can request debts to be collected through Universal Credit, typically where other repayment methods have been unsuccessful. We are led by the creditor, and at any time any creditor could inform us they wish to take back responsibility for collecting the debt from Universal Credit - such requests would trigger an end to deductions as soon as possible. The rate at which repayments are recovered from Universal Credit are set out in Schedule 6 to the Social Security Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment, Jobseeker’s Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance (Claims and Payments) Regulations 2013 – SI 2013/380. For any of the deductions laid out in the regulations, creditors can approach Universal Credit directly and typically there is no requirement for them to proactively get the claimant’s consent. Any requests for deductions are considered by the Department on an individual basis. Where recovery relates to benefit overpayments, this is managed in a sensitive way. Maximum deduction rates are set out in legislation (Regulation 11 of the Social Security (Overpayments and Recovery) Regulations 2013) and where a claimant cannot afford the proposed rate of recovery they can contact the Department’s Debt Management team so this can be reviewed. If a reduction in the repayment rate is agreed, we will implement it quickly so that payments are adjusted accordingly. The Department is always developing our understanding on the impact deductions can have on claimants, and has heard evidence from external organisations on this issue. Ultimately, we have to balance these impacts with the need for claimants to meet their obligations.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Malaysia: Plastics

the lord bishop of salisbury: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they havemade of the illegal shipment of plastic waste from the UK to Malaysia, following the decision by the government of China to ban any international plastic waste being processed within mainland China.

lord goldsmith of richmond park: The Government is deeply concerned about the illegal trade in waste, including reports of illegal plastic waste exported from the UK to Malaysia. Recognising the difficulties experienced by some countries in managing imports of plastic waste, the Queen’s Speech on the 19 December included a commitment to ban the export of polluting plastic wastes to countries that are not members of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). We will consult this year on the date by which this should be achieved. We are working closely with the Malaysian Government to support the return of 42 improperly documented containers of plastic waste. In addition, the British High Commission in Kuala Lumpur is currently supporting the Malaysian Government in tackling the wider plastic waste problem. This includes sharing UK experience as well as collaborating with the Malaysian Government in developing a Malaysian version of a Plastics Pact (a cross stakeholder grouping) to drive more effective management of plastic and plastic wastes. My department and the British High Commission also facilitated a technical meeting in Kuala Lumpur between UK and Malaysian enforcement authorities to improve plastic waste export/import protocols. While we acknowledge that there is a legitimate export market for plastic waste as a secondary raw material, we take firm action to enforce against those engaged in the illegal export of contaminated, low quality and unrecyclable plastic wastes.Compliance with the legislation on waste shipments is monitored by the UK’s four environmental regulators[1]. In England in 2018/19 the Environment Agency inspected almost 1,000 shipping containers at ports and returned over 200 of those to sites. During this period, the Environment Agency also prevented 12,000 tonnes of waste from reaching ports which may have otherwise been exported illegally. Any operators found to be illegally exporting waste can face severe sanctions – from financial penalties to imprisonment for a period of up to two years.   [1] The Environment Agency in England, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, the Northern Ireland Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales

Plastics

the lord bishop of salisbury: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made towards reducing the production of unnecessary plastic and encouraging the development of alternatives to plastic.

lord goldsmith of richmond park: The Government’s Resources and Waste Strategy (RWS) for England, published in December 2018, sets out our plans to reduce, reuse, and recycle more plastic than we do now. Our target is to eliminate all avoidable plastic waste throughout the lifetime of the 25 Year Environment Plan, but for the most problematic plastics we are going faster - that is why we are working towards all plastic packaging placed on the market being recyclable, reusable, or compostable by 2025.We have already made good progress. The Government’s 5p plastic bag charge has led to a 90% reduction in the use of plastic carrier bags in the main retailers, and last year we consulted on plans to extend the charge to all retailers and on increasing the minimum charge to at least 10p. A summary of responses will be published soon. We have also introduced a world-leading ban on the sale of microbeads in rinse-off personal care products.In 2019, the Government consulted on a number of key policy measures set out in the RWS: reforming existing packaging waste regulations; exploring the introduction of a deposit return scheme for drinks containers; increasing consistency in the recycling system; and introducing a tax on plastic packaging with less than 30% recycled content. These measures will help reduce the production of unnecessary plastic and encourage the development of alternatives to plastic. In July 2019, the Government published its responses to these consultations; more detailed consultations on these measures will be published this year. As announced in the Queen’s speech the forthcoming Environment Bill will include powers to enable Government to deliver these measures.The Government has also announced £60 million of funding through the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund, alongside a £150 million investment from industry, towards the development of smart, sustainable plastic packaging, which will aim to make the UK a world-leader in sustainable packaging for consumer products. To better understand some of these new and emerging materials, the Government published a call for evidence on the development of standards for bio-based, biodegradable, and compostable plastics last year. We recognise the role these materials could play in reducing the impact of plastic waste, however we must be wary of unintended consequences. A Government response to this call for evidence will be published in spring.

Waste

baroness jones of moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty's Government what projections they have made of future waste arisings broken down by (1) region, and (2) waste authority, in England and Wales.

lord goldsmith of richmond park: Waste is a devolved matter and the information provided therefore relates to England only. The Government has produced projections on total waste arisings in England only. These consist of both household municipal and commercial and industrial waste arisings. They are not broken down by region and local authority.Some analysis has been published in our Resource and Waste Strategy Evidence annex: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/765915/rws-evidence-annex.pdf

Tree Planting

baroness jones of whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many new trees have been planted in the UK in each of the last five years.

lord goldsmith of richmond park: The Forestry Commission produces statistics on new planting of woodland by area, but not by tree numbers, in the UK. These are Official Statistics produced to meet the standards of the Code of Practice for Statistics. Woodland area statistics can be found on the Forest Research web site together with background information at:https://www.forestresearch.gov.uk/tools-and-resources/statistics/forestry-statistics/ The area of new planting (woodland creation) for the UK in each of the last five years, taken from the published statistics (which are reported in hectares) is shown below. Woodland Area (thousands of hectares) Year  (ending 31 March3)New plantingUK 2014-1510.302015-165.652016-176.512017-189.092018-1913.40 Source: Forestry Commission, Forestry England, Scottish Forestry, Forestry and Land Scotland, Natural Resources Wales, Forest Service grant schemes.

Home Office

British Nationality: Children

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written AnswerbyBaroness Williams of Trafford on 7 January (HL2), when they expect to complete their considerations of the implications of the High Court ruling of 19 December; and how they will (1) consult on, and (2) publicise, next steps which they intend to take.

baroness williams of trafford: While this court case remains active it would not be right to speculate on next steps and potential courses of action. We are, though, committed to considering this issue and the judgment carefully and plan to do so with the diligence that is deserved.

Offences against Children: Rotherham

lord pearson of rannoch: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Williams of Trafford on 4 April 2018 (HL6553), what is the current status of the investigation of the Independent Office for Police Conduct into 33 police officers in connection with cases of child sexual exploitation in Rotherham.

baroness williams of trafford: The IOPC is independent of Government and the police and is responsible for the investigations it carries out. We understand that the IOPC’s investigation into South Yorkshire Police’s response to non-recent allegations of child sexual abuse in Rotherham remains ongoing and its website does include further background: https://policeconduct.gov.uk/investigations/rotherham-csa-investigations-south-yorkshire-police.

Treasury

Retail Trade: Non-domestic Rates

lord allen of kensington: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to review the impact of business rates on the viability of the UK retail sector.

the earl of courtown: The Government is committed to conducting a fundamental review of business rates and will announce details in due course. The Government will also increase the business rates retail discount from one-third to 50% in 2020/21 and extend eligibility to independent cinemas and grassroots music venues for the first time.This is on top of repeated action taken by the Government to reduce the burden of rates by £13bn over the next five years. This includes doubling the threshold for Small Business Rate Relief, meaning 675,000 of the smallest businesses pay no business rates at all, and switching from RPI to the lower rate of CPI indexation which is worth over £6bn in savings to businesses.

Freezing of Assets: Libya

lord empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they intend to publish the findings of an investigation into the unexplained write-down by an unidentified financial institution of up to £840 million of frozen Libyan assets held in London.

the earl of courtown: The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) within HM Treasury continues to investigate a discrepancy outlined in our previous response. I cannot comment on ongoing cases. OFSI only publishes a summary of a compliance case when an investigation into a breach of financial sanctions results in a monetary penalty. These summaries can be found on OFSI’s ‘Enforcement of Financial Sanctions’ page on GOV.UK. Further details of the circumstances in which OFSI would issue a monetary penalty are available in the ‘Monetary Penalties for Breaches of Financial Sanctions – Guidance’, also available on OFSI’s GOV.UK page.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Social Media: Advertising

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to introduce tougher advertising legislation for celebrities who do not clearly state that their social media posts include branded items which are part of an advertising partnership.

baroness barran: Last year the government announced its intention to review how online advertising is regulated in the UK, looking at how well the current regime is equipped to tackle the challenges posed by developments in online advertising. The announcement can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/jeremy-wrights-statement-on-the-cairncross-reviewCurrently, advertising in the UK is overseen by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), the industry’s independent regulator, which for online advertising enforces the Code of Non-broadcast Advertising and Direct & Promotional Marketing (CAP Code) through a system of self-regulation. The CAP Code incorporates all relevant legislation, including consumer protection legislation, and sets standards for accuracy and honesty to which advertisers must adhere. This system operates independently of government.The remit of the ASA extends to the online promotion of products by celebrities, if the celebrity has been paid (including payment in kind) by an advertiser, and the advertiser exerts some form of editorial control over the resulting content. To guarantee compliance with the CAP Code in such cases, advertisers must ensure that endorsements are genuine, claims are accurate and advertising is clearly identified as such. The products themselves must also adhere to relevant regulation and standards.If the advertiser does not exert some form of editorial control over the resulting content, consumer protection legislation still applies and is enforced instead by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). The CMA works closely with the ASA in this area, and expects such content to clearly identify any commercial relationship and to have regard to the CAP Code.The Competition and Markets Authority recently investigated social media endorsements by influencers / celebrities to ensure that they were being clear to their followers, resulting in influencers / celebrities changing their practices. They also published a guide to help influencers and those working with them to understand how to comply with UK consumer protection law. Separately to this work, but complementary to the government's review of online advertising, the CMA is conducting a market study of online platforms and digital advertising, and published an interim report in December which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cma-lifts-the-lid-on-digital-giants

Data Protection

lord clement-jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to achieve an EU–UK data protection agreement; and whether any such agreement will include continuing participation in the European Data Protection Board.

baroness barran: In the Withdrawal Agreement the government and the EU have committed to use their best endeavours to negotiate a future relationship. The free flow of personal data is an important underpinning feature of this future relationship for both economic and security purposes and therefore it is in everyone’s interests that the exchange of personal data between EU Member States and the UK continues. The EU has an established mechanism to allow the free flow of personal data to countries outside the EU, called adequacy decisions.The EU has committed in the Political Declaration to the Commission beginning its adequacy assessment of the UK as soon as possible after the UK’s withdrawal, endeavouring to adopt adequacy decisions by the end of December 2020 if the applicable conditions are met. The UK will in the same timeframe take steps to ensure the comparable facilitation of transfers of personal data to the EU. Data will be able to flow freely between the UK and the EU during the Implementation Period. The Political Declaration also states that the UK and the EU should make appropriate arrangements for cooperation between the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and EU Data Protection Authorities.

Data Protection

lord clement-jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government what multilateral regimes they intend to (1) continue to participate in, or (2) join, to ensure a legal and smooth data transfer regime between UK and EU companies after Brexit.

baroness barran: In the Withdrawal Agreement the government and the EU have committed to use their best endeavours to negotiate a future relationship. The free flow of personal data is an important underpinning feature of this future relationship for both economic and security purposes and therefore it is in everyone’s interests that the exchange of personal data between EU Member States and the UK continues. The EU has an established mechanism to allow the free flow of personal data to countries outside the EU, called adequacy decisions.The EU has committed in the Political Declaration to the Commission beginning its adequacy assessment of the UK as soon as possible after the UK’s withdrawal, endeavouring to adopt adequacy decisions by the end of December 2020 if the applicable conditions are met. The UK will in the same timeframe take steps to ensure the comparable facilitation of transfers of personal data to the EU. Data will be able to flow freely between the UK and the EU during the Implementation Period. The Political Declaration also states that the UK and the EU should make appropriate arrangements for cooperation between the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and EU Data Protection Authorities.

UK Relations with EU

lord clement-jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to collaborate with the EU on matters with a transnational impact, in particular (1) data transfer, (2) cyber security, (3) fake news, and (4) online harms.

baroness barran: The Government set out its plans for collaborating with the EU on issues relating to cyber security and data in the Political Declaration setting out the framework for the future relationship between the UK and EU. On cyber security, the UK is committed to cooperation with the EU to deepen our shared capabilities and uphold our shared values. The Declaration sets our agreement to continue to exchange information on a voluntary, timely and reciprocal basis to help protect the United Kingdom and the EU from common threats.Regarding data transfers, the Declaration commits the European Commission to beginning its adequacy assessment of the UK as soon as possible after the UK’s withdrawal, endeavouring to adopt Adequacy Decisions by the end of December 2020 if the applicable conditions are met. The UK will in the same timeframe take steps to ensure the comparable facilitation of transfers of personal data to the EU. It also states that the UK and the EU should make appropriate arrangements for cooperation between the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and EU Data Protection Authorities. The UK remains committed to working with international partners to promote the free flow of data across borders where it is adequately protected.The Government’s Online Harms White Paper set out comprehensive proposals on a range of topics, including countering ‘fake news’ or disinformation. These proposals will make companies more responsible for their users’ safety online, especially children and other vulnerable groups, and will help to build trust in digital markets. The Government will seek to work with international partners to build consensus, and identify common approaches to keep citizens safe online, including on countering disinformation.

Alberto Salazar

lord moynihan: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether UKAthletics has, at any time, sought advice from either UK Sport or UK Anti-Doping about the ban imposed on Alberto Salazar by the United States Anti-Doping Agency leading to the closure of the Nike Oregon Project; and if so, whether either of those bodies provided any formal response or guidance.

baroness barran: Subsequent to USADA’s ban of Alberto Salazar being issued, UK Sport’s discussions with UK Athletics on this issue have focused on ensuring there is an effective independent review as to whether UK Athletics took the appropriate decisions in respect of its relationship with Mr Salazar and the Nike Oregon Project.UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) has offered support to the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) during its investigations. However, UKAD has not received any request for information from UK Athletics in relation to Mr Salazar’s ban.

Alberto Salazar

lord moynihan: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have contributed to the independent review currently being undertaken by UK Athletics over the handling of the Alberto Salazar scandal; and what assessment they have made of the methods associated with the Nike Oregon Project which were employed by UK Athletics' performance staff, officials or British athletes in receipt of Government or lottery funding support.

baroness barran: UK Sport supported UK Athletics in commissioning an independent review into its decision-making in respect of its relationship with Mr Salazar and the Nike Oregon Project. Both UK Sport and DCMS will await the outcomes of that review before drawing any further conclusions.It is absolutely right that all athletes should be able to compete on a level playing field. Clean sport is a shared responsibility; one in which sport and government should work together.

Commonwealth Games 2022

lord moynihan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what (1) methodology, and (2) baseline level of physical activity,they are using in their capacity as the Physical Activity and Wellbeing lead on the Legacy and Benefits Steering Group for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games "to provide everyone with both the inspiration and information to make different and better choices" in order to improve levels of physical activity.

baroness barran: Across the Games partnership we are developing an evaluation methodology for Games legacy, and this will be published in due course. This legacy work will be informed by lessons from previous Games, including London 2012 and Glasgow 2014. It will also draw on the evidence from Sport England’s £10m Local Delivery Pilot investment to promote physical activity in hard to reach groups in Birmingham and Solihull.Improving health and wellbeing, including tackling physical inactivity, is a legacy ambition for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. This will include how we maximise the impact of the new sporting facilities being delivered for the Games, such as the redevelopment of athletics facilities at Alexander Stadium, creation of a brand new aquatics centre in Sandwell and the addition of new cycle lanes across the city. A number of partners are involved in this work including Sport England, Sport Birmingham, local and regional authorities and the Birmingham 2022 Organising Committee.

Facebook: Advertising

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the dangers that may arise from Facebook not strengthening regulation of political advertisements.

baroness barran: The Government regularly engages with social media platforms, including Facebook, on a number of issues. Whilst we welcome existing steps taken by platforms to take more responsibility for the content on their platforms, we are clear that these steps do not go far enough to protect users online.The Online Harms White Paper sets out our plans for world-leading legislation to make the UK the safest place in the world to be online. This will make companies more responsible for their users’ safety online, especially children and other vulnerable groups, and will help to build trust in digital markets.The Online Harms White Paper proposes that under the new regulatory framework for online safety, companies could be required to improve transparency of political advertising, in line with requirements in electoral law. The Cabinet Office is also considering this issue as part of the Defending Democracy programme, which has been set up to protect and secure UK democratic processes and strengthen the integrity of UK elections. Last year, the Government announced a review into online advertising, which will consider the extent to which the current regulatory regime is equipped to tackle the challenges posed by rapid technological developments in advertising. Further details will be set out in due course.

Public Libraries

lord bourne of aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to commission a review of the importance of access to public libraries in all parts of England, including consideration of the relationship between library access and (1) income, and (2) social class.

baroness barran: Libraries play an important role in giving everyone opportunities to improve their life chances and achieve their full potential. They serve a diverse range of people from all backgrounds and provide access to a variety of services. The regularly published Taking Part Survey provides details of the proportion of adults who have used a public library service at least once in the previous 12 months. This includes details of use by upper and lower socio-economic groups, as well as by index of multiple deprivation. The figures for 2018/19 indicate that 36.7% of respondents from the upper socio-economic group and 27.9% of respondents from the lower socio-economic group reported visiting a library in the last 12 months. We have no plans to conduct a review.

UK Shared Prosperity Fund

baroness scott of needham market: To ask Her Majesty's Government what role they envisage for the voluntary and community sector in the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

baroness barran: The government values the role of the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise sector in the UK; particularly its invaluable role in tackling some of the most entrenched societal challenges in the country.The Office for Civil Society, within DCMS, is engaging with colleagues across government, in particular MHCLG and DWP, on the development of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. Our ambition is to ensure that the sector does not face unnecessary barriers in accessing future funding.Officials will continue to engage with the sector as this work progresses and will communicate relevant updates.

Football: Racial Discrimination

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to work with the Football Association to combat racism in football.

baroness barran: Racism or any form of discrimination has no place in football or society, and we must confront this vile behaviour.Together with the Minister for Sport, I met with the FA last week and discussed their action on discrimination. Whilst progress has been made, there is still more to do and we will be calling in all the footballing authorities for a further update about their work on this important issue.

Huawei: 5G

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of remarks by senior officials in the United States that adopting Huawei technology in the UK's 5G network presents a security risk.

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what risk assessment they have conducted of the proposed adoption of Huawei technology forthe UK's 5G network infrastructure.

baroness barran: The security of the UK’s telecoms networks is of paramount importance. The Government has undertaken a comprehensive review of the telecoms supply chain to ensure the security and resilience of 5G and fibre in the UK. The Review, published in July, set out the Government’s priorities for the future of telecommunications and proposed the introduction of a new, strengthened security framework for telecomsThe Review also considered the use of high risk vendors in UK telecoms networks. High risk vendors never have been and never will be in the UK’s most sensitive networks. A decision on the use of high risk vendors in the UK telecoms networks will be made in due course following a robust assessment of the risksThe UK is not considering options that would put at risk the UK’s national security or intelligence sharing. The Government continues to work closely with the US and other international partners on the issue of telecoms security.

Internet: Advertising

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the Norwegian Consumer Council, Out of Control: How Consumers Are Exploited by the Online Advertising Industry,published on 14 January, which states that a number of mobile applications are violating the EU General Data Protection Regulation.

baroness barran: We are aware of the recent report on the online advertising industry published by the Norwegian Consumer Council. The Data Protection Act 2018 and the GDPR is in place to ensure that organisations, including advertising companies, who collect and use personal data do so lawfully and transparently. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) regulates data protection legislation in the UK. It is working with the advertising industry to improve compliance with the law and has published the following blogs which urge organisations to review their processes and systems. Organisations which fail to comply with the legislation may be the subject of enforcement action.https://ico.org.uk/about-the-ico/news-and-events/blog-advancing-the-adtech-debate-from-a-data-protection-perspective/ 12 February 2019https://ico.org.uk/about-the-ico/news-and-events/blog-adtech-fact-finding-forum-shows-consensus-on-need-for-change/ 07 March 2019Last year the government announced its intention to review how online advertising is regulated in the UK, looking at how well the current regime is equipped to tackle the challenges posed by developments in online advertising.